Marti the Matchmaker
by Lady Azura
Summary: Marti’s bored and decides to play “Matchmaker” with her older siblings. DaseyLizwin
1. The Idea

Summary: _Marti's bored and decides to play "Matchmaker" with her older siblings. (Dasey/Lizwin)_

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I don't own _Life With Derek_. 'Nuff said.

Author's Note: This is my second LWD fanfic, so please be nice! No flames, but constructive criticism is always welcome.

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**Marti the Matchmaker****  
**_**The Idea**_

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Marti Venturi was bored.

It seemed that there was absolutely nothing to do lately. At least, nothing she hadn't already done once… twice… three times that day. She'd done everything from finger painting to playing "House" to playing "Hide and Seek" with Daphne. She'd even gone next door to play with Dimi, only to find out that the silly boy had come down with the Chicken Pox and wasn't _allowed_ to play. This left Marti rather bored and grouchy.

Now, normally if she was feeling like this, she would beg her siblings to make her, well, _un_-bored. It usually worked - after all, no one could resist the power of her super cuteness, least of all her eldest brother Derek. At the moment, however, her Smerek was currently engaged in a heated argument with her older step-sister, Casey, over the remote. In fact, they were _so_ engrossed in their argument that they didn't even notice that she was sitting on the stairs watching them.

As for Edwin and Lizzie…

Marti's head perked up.

Where _were_ the other two members of the Venturi-McDonald clan?

She glanced around a few times but couldn't spot them anywhere, and eventually just gave up. They were probably hiding in the games closet, as usual, though she really couldn't understand why they did that. Sighing, Marti stood up and made her way into the kitchen, where her dad and step-mom were currently getting ready to go out.

Before she could say anything, however, Derek and Casey emerged from the living room, followed closely by Lizzie and Edwin.

"Oh good, you're all here," Nora began as she slipped on her coat and snatched the phone off the receiver, before turning back to face them, "George and I are going out for a bit - we'll be back around 11:00."

She tossed the phone to Derek, who caught it with expert reflexes.

"We left you enough money to order a pizza if you guys get hungry. _Two_ pizzas - one for Derek and one for the rest of you," George added.

"And Casey," Nora continued, "You're in charge while we're gone."

George nodded in agreement before his eyes landed on his eldest son.

"No parties and no girls, Derek."

Derek responded by rolling his eyes as his dad's stern gaze shifted from him and moved to the two middle children.

"No charts, graphs, spying, plotting, underage gambling -"

The two partners in crime couldn't help but snicker at the recent memory.

"- strip poker, conspiracy theories or mischievous activities of _any_ kind."

Finally, George's eyes settled on the youngest member of the Venturi-McDonald family.

"No…" he paused, trying to think up something to say, "No… no coloring on the walls."

Marti scoffed and folded her arms across her chest. Really, how old did her father _think_ she was? She hadn't colored on the walls since she was three!

"Well, I think we've covered just about everything we needed to cover. We'll see you guys later, okay?" With that, Nora proceeded to kiss each of them on the cheek - to which Derek successfully dodged and Edwin _attempted_ but didn't quite succeed.

Marti couldn't help but giggle at her brothers and their ridiculous male pride.

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Later that evening, Marti found herself sitting at the dining room table nibbling at her slice of pizza. Derek and Casey were sitting where George and Nora usually sat, glaring heatedly at one another, while Edwin and Lizzie sat on the couch and pretended to watch TV.

Key word: _Pretended_.

Marti wasn't blind, nor was she born yesterday. She saw the shy glances the two shared when they thought the other wasn't looking. Derek and Casey on the other hand… didn't seem to notice. They were far too busy bickering over… whatever it was they were bickering over. She wasn't quite sure, though she did catch a few words like: "chauvinistic pig", "slut", "manwhore", "Max", and "bastard".

Marti sighed. She really didn't know why her Smerek liked to get on Casey's nerves so much. Wasn't it just the previous night when he had told her that he _loved_ Casey?

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::**FLASHBACK**::

-

_"Smerek… can I ask you something?" Marti asked, as her oldest brother finished tucking her into bed._

_"Sure you can, Smarti! Ask away." Derek replied, ruffling her hair._

_Marti smiled weakly before hugging one of her stuffed toys to her chest._

_"Well… I was wondering…" She hesitated for a split second, before looking back up at him, "Why do you and Casey fight all the time? Do you hate each other? Is that why?"_

_Derek's eyes widened momentarily - he clearly hadn't seen that coming - before he sighed._

_"Nah, that's not it. I don't hate Space-Case. I could never _hate_ her. It's just…" He trailed off, sitting on the edge of her bed and trying to think of something to say. Finally, he continued, "It's just… people do weird things when they love someone. It's different for everyone. For me and Casey… we fight."_

_There was a few minutes of silence before Marti spoke._

"So… you love Casey?" She asked softly, "Like how daddy and Nora love each other?"

_Derek nodded._

_"Yeah," he said, "I think I do."_

_"But… if you love her… then why are you always so mean to her?" asked Marti, "Why do you always bug her and make fun of her?"_

_"Like I said… people do weird things when they love someone." Derek replied. "I guess I annoy her because I want to get her attention - I like getting a reaction out of her. It's the only way she'll pay attention to me."_

_"Oh…" Marti paused for a few seconds before glancing back up at her brother, "Does Casey know you love her?"_

_Derek shook his head._

_"No, and I'd like it if it stayed that way. You can't breathe a word of this to anyone, okay Smarti? It'll be our little secret." He told her, holding out his hand. "Pinky swear?"_

_Marti giggled and nodded before hooking her pinky with his._

-

::**END FLASHBACK**::

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The youngest Venturi sighed. Really, Smerek could probably get Casey's attention if he was nicer to her too. After all, if he could all those girls at his school just by _looking_ at them… why not Casey? She was a _girl_, after all.

Suddenly, a light bulb went off in her head and an idea struck her.

What if… all Derek and Casey needed was a little push? She knew Derek loved Casey, and she also knew that Casey didn't really "hate" Derek as much as she led on… so perhaps there was a possibility that Casey felt for Derek as Derek felt for her?

A smile crept across Marti's face.

She would make sure that Derek and Casey admitted their feelings by the end of the week if it was the last thing she did.

Even if she had to stay up past 8:30 trying to do it.

With that thought confirmed in her mind, Marti stood up and skipped her way up the stairs and towards her room to begin planning "Operation: Dasey". And if need be… she'd give Edwin and Lizzie a little nudge too. Perhaps locking them in the games closet for an entire day might make some progress.

Marti giggled.

They didn't call her "Marti the Matchmaker" for nothing.

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**I really don't like how I ended this chapter. I'm really tired - but I felt I had to finish this chapter and get it posted so I can get started on the next one. I'm so impatient. Grr. Anyways, I'll probably go back and fix a few things in a bit… in the meantime though, I'm going to bed.**

**G'night!**

_**-Lady Azura- **_


	2. Problems Arise

Disclaimer: I don't own _Life With Derek_. 'Nuff said.

Author's Note: This is quite possibly my quickest update in a very long time, but I've gotten so many reviews and that makes me so, SO happy… so thanks so much you guys! I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

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**Marti the Matchmaker****  
**_**Problems Arise**_

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The next day, nothing seemed at all out of the ordinary.

As usual, Derek and Casey were at each other's throats, literally this time, while Nora and George tried to pry them apart and keep them from actually _killing_ one another. Meanwhile, the two middle children, who'd long since learned how to drown their petty fights out, sat on the couch and flipped through various Saturday morning cartoons. No one seemed to notice, however, how unusually quiet the youngest member of the Venturi-McDonald clan was being that day.

Occasionally, Marti couldn't help but notice with a small smile, the two tweens would tune into Derek and Casey's argument and Lizzie would whisper something to Edwin and he would jot something down in his binder. Of course, Marti had considered telling them about her plan to get Casey and Derek to admit their feelings to each other - after all, the two had been keeping tabs on the eldest since the very beginning, and probably had a lot more information to go on than she did, and could probably help her come up with the perfect scheme to make it all happen. Three heads were better than one, after all. Or was it two?

Marti shook her head. She was starting to confuse herself.

Regardless, she'd decided against the latter when she reminded herself that she was trying to bring _them_ together as well. Besides, getting Edwin and Lizzie involved would probably only make Casey and Derek suspicious, and she certainly couldn't have _that_.

She pondered a few minutes, trying to think of any possible way she could get Derek to tell Casey how he _really_ felt about her, and vice-versa. Unfortunately, she either came up blank or the ideas she did manage to come up with didn't end too well in her mind.

Looking up once more, Marti noted that it was much quieter now, meaning that Derek and Casey had stopped fighting… for now. She watched as Nora made her way into the kitchen to retrieve some Aspirin, her dad following closely behind as the two discussed in very hush-hush voices about the two teenagers and their constant bickering, and how they were out of ideas with how to deal with them.

"I just…" Nora was whispering, rubbing her temples as she paced back and forth in the kitchen before turning to face her husband, "I don't know what to do anymore, George! We've tried everything from _grounding_ them to threatening to take off their doors! Nothing is working, and their fights are getting worse! What should we do?"

"Well, we could always send Derek to boarding school…"

Marti rolled her eyes at her father's vein attempt to sound funny, and was mildly glad that her step-mother seemed to agree.

"Not funny, George. Besides, Marti would probably never speak to us again if we did that…"

Of course she wouldn't. If they dared try to send her Smerek away again, she would do more than just stop talking to them altogether. She'd start an entire revolution and force people to sign petitions and -

"I know, I know. I was just kidding." There was a pregnant pause before George continued, "What about Casey? Do you think she'd mind? Didn't you always say she wanted to attend boarding school?"

A few minutes of silence passed before Nora finally spoke up.

"That's true… she always _did_ want to attend one…"

Marti froze.

First Smerek, and now they were trying to send _Casey_ away?

No!

She wouldn't let them! She wouldn't!

She…

Marti's mind raced as billions of thoughts swam through her head.

She had to stop them. She had to make Derek admit his feelings for Casey so they would stop fighting and Casey wouldn't agree to be shipped off to some boarding school away from her and Smerek and the rest of their family and friends.

Nora and her dad's voices were beginning to fade. Marti looked up again and noticed they were no longer in the kitchen, which meant they were probably discussing the rest of the matter downstairs in their bedroom where they wouldn't be overheard so soon. Glancing over her shoulder, Marti knew immediately by the horrified looks on Lizzie and Edwin's faces that they too had overheard, and crawled over to them.

"I know their fights are pretty bad… but… sending Casey away? Isn't that pushing it a bit?" Edwin wondered out loud.

Lizzie groaned and buried her face in her hands.

"And you _know_ Casey's going to jump at the chance to get away from Derek and go to boarding school! She's always wanted to go to boarding school!"

"Is there any way to change her mind before she considers agreeing?" asked Edwin.

"Make her and Derek stop fighting might help, but like I said… she's always wanted to go to boarding school… so… it'd have to be really big to make her turn down that kind of offer…" Lizzie replied, before frowning. "I can only imagine what Derek's going to say when he finds out, though. He's going to be thrilled and then Casey will get mad and take up the offer in a heartbeat."

"No! You're wrong!"

The two tweens glanced down at Marti, who'd been pretty much silent until that moment.

"What do you mean?" asked Lizzie, "Of course Derek would be happy. He's always happy when she's not here… so to have her not here at all… he'd probably have a field day."

Marti shook her head urgently.

"Nuh-uh." She said, "He'd be sad if she left. He always tries to act like he doesn't care about her, but he does, and he'd be really sad if she wasn't around anymore."

Edwin snorted, earning a glare from his younger sister.

"Smerek loves her." She murmured quietly, "He told me so."

Lizzie exchanged wide-eyed looks with her partner before glancing down at the youngest Venturi with a look of disbelief on her face.

"He said what? _When_?" She asked.

"A couple of nights ago…" replied Marti, "I asked him and he told me he loved her… and he said the only reason he bugged her was to get her attention… it's not because he doesn't like her or wants her to leave or anything like that… so… if Casey left… he'd be really sad."

A few more minutes of silence passed, mostly due to the fact that Edwin and Lizzie were still trying to process this newfound information.

"I wasn't supposed to say anything…" Marti broke the silence as tears began to well up in her eyes, "I pinkie-promised Smerek that I wouldn't… but… I don't want Casey to leave! And neither would he! We have to get him to tell her that though, or she will!"

"Heh…" Edwin laughed softly as he glanced over at Lizzie, "Looks like we were right. All that research wasn't for nothing, I guess."

The other tween nodded in agreement.

"Yeah… I guess not…"

There was another unnecessarily long pause before Marti spoke up to break it once more.

"I was gonna try to get him to admit it… but I couldn't come up with anything… so…"

"So… maybe we could all come up with a plan to get him to admit it before it's too late?" Edwin continued, as if reading her mind.

The two girls nodded in agreement. Lizzie opened her mouth to suggest something, but was quickly silenced by Edwin's hand when Derek came stampeding down the stairs and into the kitchen for a snack.

"We'll continue this later tonight," he murmured, so only Lizzie and Marti could hear, "How's after dinner in the games closet sound?"

"Perfect."

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**This wasn't my original idea for this chapter, to be honest, but as soon as I started writing it just… escalated from there. I don't know how to explain it. It irks me, though. I really don't think I did a good job with this chapter.**

**What do you guys think?**

**Feedback is most appreciated!**

**-**_**Lady Azura-**_


	3. The Plan

Disclaimer: I don't own _Life With Derek_. 'Nuff said.

Author's Note: Not as quick an update as the previous one, but I hope you enjoy either way. Once again, thanks so much for the reviews! You guys are the best!

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**Marti the Matchmaker****  
**_**The Plan**_

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It was well after dinnertime, about 6:30 or so, when the three reunited once more. As they piled into the games closet for their secret meeting to discuss the urgent matter at hand, Edwin made sure to check the hallway to make sure the coast was clear before closing the door behind them and switching on the light.

Lizzie was the first to break the silence.

"Alright, is everyone here?" She asked, but quickly continued when both step-siblings rolled their eyes. "Right, stupid question…"

Slipping her hand into her pocket, she pulled out a sheet of paper and unfolded it before clearing her throat and beginning.

"We the youngest and therefore the most intelligent and observant offspring of the Venturi-McDonald family, have called this emergency meeting to discuss a very important issue." Her eyes met Edwin's, who gave her the thumbs up, before she continued. "This issue is about a certain Derek Venturi and his secret, undying love for his step-sister, AKA _my_ sister, Casey McDonald, and whether or not she feels the same way."

Lizzie paused briefly to see if Marti or Edwin had anything to add. When neither spoke, she went on.

"Unfortunately, this is not our only problem. Due to recent events, if drastic changes are not made immediately in this household, Casey will be shipped off as far away from here as possible. She'll be sent away from us, from her school, her friends, her teachers… but most importantly, she'll be sent away from _Derek_." She stressed, "Her absence from his life will inevitably leave Derek both heartbroken and _extremely_ angst-y, and as we all know…" She trailed off and glanced over at Edwin.

"Derek plus angst equals _bad_. For us especially. The middle children." He said, motioning to him and Lizzie.

"Hey!"

"And Marti." He added.

Lizzie sighed.

"So… basically… we need a plan." She said, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Any suggestions?"

Edwin shrugged, but Marti's hand immediately shot up into the air.

"I do! I do!" She exclaimed, waving her arm around frantically.

"You do?" The two tweens echoed in unison, staring at the youngest Venturi with looks of mild surprise etched across their faces.

"What is it?" asked Lizzie, somewhat eager to know what her step-sister had in mind.

"We should make a love potion!" The seven-year-old replied excitedly. "We could slip it into Casey's drink when she's not looking and make sure Smerek's the first one she sees and then… voila! She's in love! And then she'll confess and then he'll confess and then they'll kiss and get married and live happily ever after!"

Lizzie's face fell almost immediately after Marti opened her mouth and Edwin looked as if he was trying desperately not to laugh at his younger sister's naivety. Suppressing a laugh, he reached over and ruffled her hair.

"I… heh… I hate to break it to you, but don't think a love potion would work, Marti." He said.

Marti pouted and folded her arms across her chest.

"Maybe we could send them anonymous love letters or something," said Lizzie, "We could leave them in their lockers at school… we could even get Sam and Emily in on the plan and -"

"Right away, wrong." Edwin interrupted, earning a glare from his partner that _dared_ him to explain. He gulped and continued, "What I mean, is… I think we should just keep it between us three. Getting their best friends involved would probably only make them suspicious."

"Oh." For a split second, Lizzie seemed disheartened, but then proceeded to narrow her eyes at her partner. "So, got any better ideas… _Eddie_?"

Edwin's eye twitched a few times at the nickname.

"Now that you mention it… I _do_ have an idea." He said, a noticeable smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Forget all that anonymous stuff. We should just handcuff them together and lock them in a room until they sort out their U.S.T."

"U.S.T?" Marti and Lizzie repeated, equally confused.

"Unresolved Sexual Tension." Edwin explained, "Now, what we need is - hey. Wait. Why are you looking at me like that?" He arched an eyebrow at the two girls, who were both wearing twin triumphant smiles on their faces.

"Oh, Edwin, can't you see?" Lizzie exclaimed, grinning from ear-to-ear, "You're a genius!"

With that, she threw her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"I-I am?" He stammered. Lizzie pulled away and looked at him funny, and somewhere between that particular look and the next ten seconds, he seemed to have developed an ego the size of Derek's. "I mean… of course I am!" He flashed her a classic Venturi smirk to prove his point, causing her to turn an interesting shade of pink.

Meanwhile, Marti sat in the corner and watched as the two embraced. She couldn't help but smile to herself.

_'Smerek and Casey aren't the only ones with U.S.T…'_

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"So, it's settled then." Lizzie finished about an hour or so later, "Starting tomorrow morning, our mission will commence. Does everyone understand and know their positions?"

Edwin and Marti nodded.

"Good. Now, let's go to bed. We have a long day ahead of us…"

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**I know I said this chapter was going to have some more Derek/Casey interaction in it, and it originally was, but… somehow it no longer does. However, I'll make sure it does next time.**

**Okay, so, I wrote this chapter in school today. Religion to be more specific, and while **_**I**_** don't think it's any good… you guys might think differently. Also, despite the fact that it's 6:30 in the evening right now, I'm extremely tired. I haven't been getting enough sleep lately, so I'm hoping to do so right after I upload this.**

IMPORTANT NOTICE: **Moving on… for all you Dasey fans, if you haven't already, I suggest you join "Dasey Nation". It's a new site dedicated to, well, **_**Dasey**_** and if you like posting on forums as much as I do… you should totally join. **

**If any of you are interested, here's the link:**

**http:// www . bestfreeforums . com / forums / daseynation . html**

**No spaces.**

_**-Lady Azura-**_


	4. Practical Joke

Disclaimer: I don't own _Life With Derek_. 'Nuff said.

Author's Note: Slower update - I'm sorry! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Don't mind the pun.

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**Marti the Matchmaker****  
**_**Practical Joke**_

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The next day seemed to drag on by at an almost agonizingly slow pace and by the time three o'clock rolled around, Marti found herself slouched over the coffee table with a pair of safety scissors in one hand and a purple marker in the other, _attempting_ to keep herself busy. At least, until the rest of the family got home - which wouldn't be much longer.

Usually, she'd _just_ be getting out of school at around this time, but due to some bizarre twist of fate, all of the elementary schools in the London district had let out three hours early. On any normal Friday, Marti would've been completely stoked about this, but at the moment her mind was just far too concerned about other things - like Derek and Casey and the current situation and just… _everything_.

She vaguely wondered if this was fate's way of testing her - to see just how much she could handle before she finally snapped.

Suspecting that that was probably what it was, Marti decided - for the sake of her own sanity - that it was probably best to preoccupy herself with an outlet of sorts.

So, she settled with art.

"God Derek! You're such a jerk!"

The sound of the front door flying open, followed closely by Casey's not-so-happy voice, was what snapped Marti out of her trance. Glancing up and looking over her shoulder, she watched as her eldest step-sister practically tore off her autumn jacket in a fit of fury and tossed it onto the banister, where it slipped off and pooled to the ground almost immediately.

Casey looked far too angry to notice.

"Well, I may be a jerk, but at least I'm not an uptight bitch who wouldn't know a simple _joke_ if it walked up to her and slapped her across the face!" Derek sneered, stepping through the threshold seconds later with his backpack slung casually over his shoulder.

Neither one of them seemed to be aware of Marti's presence at all.

"You… You… ugh!" Casey threw her arms up and let out a frustrated scream before spinning around on her heel and storming up the stairs.

It wasn't long before Marti heard Casey's door slam shut.

_Loudly_.

She stared, eyes wide, as Derek glared intently at the spot where Casey had been standing just seconds before. It was if he believed that if he glared hard enough, it would spontaneously combust or something. Then, she heard him curse under his breath and watched as he reluctantly bent down to pick up Casey's discarded jacket and hang it up properly before making his way into the living room.

Plopping down on his recliner, he took a few deep breaths in attempt to calm himself before glancing down at his little sister. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, but Marti wasn't as naïve as she'd been a year ago, and she could tell that he was forcing it.

She smiled back anyways.

"Hey Smarti. You're home early." He said, reaching over to ruffle her hair, "How was school?"

Okay, seriously? Derek asking about _school_? Now she _knew_ something was up.

She shrugged.

"It was okay…" She said, "We had a spelling test today. Me and Dimi have a bet to see who's gonna get a better mark."

"Is that so?" Derek asked, sounding genuinely interested, "Do you think you're gonna win?"

"_Duh_!" Marti replied, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world, "Casey helped me study, so I'm definitely gonna win."

There was a strange glint in her older brother's eyes when she mentioned Casey's name - but it vanished as quickly as it came. Almost like it was never there to begin with.

Sighing, Marti placed her art utensils on the table before scooting closer to Derek.

"Smerek?"

"Yeah, Smarti?"

"Why is Casey mad today?" She asked.

"No reason. She's just PMS-ing." Derek said simply.

Marti narrowed her eyes.

"_Smerek_." She warned, planting her hands on her hips in a way that freakishly reminded him of Casey, "Tell me the truth!"

Derek sighed, instantly caving in.

"Fine," he said, "The truth is -"

Before he could finish, the front door suddenly swung open, revealing Edwin and Lizzie.

"What a _day_!" Edwin exclaimed, tossing his backpack onto the floor and collapsing on the couch.

"Mrs. Turner is such a witch!" Lizzie huffed, seating herself beside him with her arms crossed. "Can you believe she assigned us _that_ much homework? It's gonna take up our whole night!"

"Forget tonight - it's gonna take up the entire school year!" Edwin complained before glancing over at his brother. "So what's your story? You look like you've had a pretty rough day."

Derek snorted.

"If you think _I_ look bad, wait till you see Space-Case."

Lizzie shot him a dirty look.

"Why? What'd you do to her _this_ time?" She snapped.

"Nothing that she won't get over once she stops PMS-ing…" Derek replied, rolling his eyes and rising to his feet. "I'm going to my room. Come get me when it's dinner."

With that, he made his way out of the living room and up the stairs, leaving the remaining Venturi-McDonald offspring alone.

"In just a few short hours, our plan will finally commence." Lizzie announced, a devious smile stretching across her face.

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That evening, the tension between Derek and Casey was unlike anything anyone had ever witnessed. It gave dinner an unusually eerie and _extremely_ awkward feel to it, and aside from the sound of silverware meeting the good china, the entire family sat in complete and utter silence, afraid to say anything that might set one of the teens - or _both_ of them - off.

Nora's gaze bounced back and forth between the two teenagers. She watched as they glared heatedly at one another and waited as quietly and as patiently as she could for one of them - or at the very least, _someone_ - to say something. _Anything_. Eventually, the silence became far too deafening to bear.

"So," she began nervously, clearing her throat and breaking the ice, "How was school today?"

Derek promptly choked on his water, causing Nora's mind to start racing with all kinds of scenarios that could've possibly taken place that day. Casey, on the other hand, glared coldly at him from across the table before she turned to face her mother.

"I'm glad you brought that up, _Mother_." She admitted, and Nora could tell by her daughter's posture and the way she was speaking through gritted teeth that she was trying to stay calm. "I think it's time for you and George to start researching new schools for me, since as of today, I'll never be able to show my face at Thompson High again."

Marti froze the second the words left Casey's lips, her fork halfway to her mouth, and noticed both Edwin and Lizzie visibly stiffen.

Nora's eyebrows disappeared into her hairline as she exchanged curious glances with her husband before turning her attention back to her eldest daughter.

"Is… umm… what -" She started, but before she could finish, she was interrupted by the sound of her step-son's fork clattering against his now empty plate.

"You are _such_ a drama queen!" Derek scoffed, narrowing his eyes at Casey. "I mean, _honestly_, just let it go already! It was a joke!"

"A joke?" Casey repeated, and before Nora could register what was going on, her daughter was suddenly on her feet and staring down at Derek with a look that could only be described as sheer distaste. "Is that what you call publicly humiliating me in front of the ENTIRE student body? A _joke_?"

"Derek!" George scolded, "What did you do?"

"Yeah, what _did_ you do?" asked Edwin, more than a little curious to find out.

Lizzie scowled and elbowed him in the ribs.

"Does it matter?" She hissed.

"It does _this_ time!" Casey cried, before her piercing eyes met those of her daily tormentor's once more. "Come on, _Der_. Why don't you tell them what you did? I mean, I'm sure everyone's just _dying_ to hear about how you -"

"Stole your clothes?" Derek finished, cutting her off and crossing his arms in an almost challenging manner.

"You stole her clothes?" George repeated, "How?"

"She was in the showers at school. It wasn't that hard to sneak in and out of the locker room without being heard." His son replied, shrugging casually before quickly adding, "No one else was in there - they were all at lunch. Space-Case is just really slow. She was the last one in there."

"How do you -" Lizzie began, but Derek cut her off.

"I have my sources."

She rolled her eyes at him.

"Stop encouraging him!" Casey snapped, "I haven't even finished!"

"There's _more_?"

"It's Derek. Of course there's more." Casey sneered, "And after stealing all of my clothes, guess what else he decides to do?" She didn't wait for anyone to answer before she went on, "He pulls the fire alarm. _While_ I'm still in the shower. So then I ran out in nothing but a towel and _EVERYONE_ sees me like that!"

"You pulled the fire alarm?" cried George, staring at Derek in disbelief.

"Dude… that is so cool - ow!" Edwin rubbed his shoulder and glared at Lizzie.

"Stop it, you two." Nora warned, before her gaze settled on her step-son. "You pulled the fire alarm? Why aren't you in trouble? Why didn't we get a call from your Principal about this?"

"I have my ways," Derek replied, smirking triumphantly and popping up the collar of his shirt. "Let's just say that Lasiter is _very_ easy to persuade."

"Unbelievable." Nora buried her face in her hands, regretting having started this conversation at all.

"This FAMILY is unbelievable!" snapped Casey, "I mean, Derek gets away with everything! I'm publicly humiliated and all you can do is encourage him! That's why I think it would be in everyone's best interest - _especially_ mine - if I were to switch schools."

"Stop being so overdramatic, Case." Derek rolled his eyes. "This incident will just blow over like the rest of them, and pretty soon everyone will forget it ever hap -"

"Don't! Don't you dare try to justify what you did! What you've been doing since we first moved in! I'm so sick of this! I'm so sick of _you_!" Casey screamed. "I can't take this anymore!"

Before anyone could say a word, Casey was gone, having fled up the stairs.

For about five minutes, no one said a word. In fact, it was so silent that one could probably hear a pin drop.

Finally, Nora spoke up.

"George? We need to talk." She said, standing up and making her way towards their room.

George nodded in understanding and followed closely behind, closing the door behind them.

Derek blankly at his empty plate before slamming his fist against the table in frustration.

"Damn it." He muttered under his breath, completely oblivious to the three sets of eyes watching his every move.

Then, without another word, he stood up and made his way up the stairs, and it wasn't until they heard his door close that any of them spoke.

"Well… can't say I expected _that_." Edwin sighed. "What are we going to do now?"

"We can't back out of the plan now, that's for sure. This has to happen _tonight_ or Casey's gone for sure," said Lizzie, placing her chin in the palm of her hand before glancing over at her younger step-sister. "Marti?"

Said step-sister tore her gaze away from the staircase and looked at Lizzie.

"Yeah?" She asked.

"You know what you have to do, right?"

Marti nodded.

"Yeah." She said, "I know."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**I do believe that that's the longest chapter I've ever written. For THIS fic, anyways.**

This fic just keeps getting longer and longer than I intended. At first, I had only planned it to be 4 chapters - 5 at the most - but somehow, it's now 7. 8 if I decide to include an epilogue… which I probably will.

**Expect an update soon. I've finally got time on my hands.**

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed. Personally, I didn't really like how I ended it - but you guys seem to usually think otherwise, so I guess that saying about how a person's biggest critic is themselves is true, now isn't it?

**Only your reviews will tell.**

**So, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!**

**That's what keeps me going.**

_**-Lady Azura-**_


	5. Marti’s Quest, and the Whistle

Disclaimer: I don't own _Life With Derek_. 'Nuff said.

Author's Note: I know you all probably hate my guts for taking so damn long to update… completely understandable. I mean, really, 7 months? It's practically blasphemy! But I have a perfectly logical explanation:

My muse for this fic was on vacation. A really LONG vacation.

But she's back now, with an update to boot.

X

**Marti the Matchmaker****  
**_**Marti's Quest, and the Whistle**_

X

About two hours had passed since the incident at dinner and Marti now found herself in her room, sitting on her bed and staring blankly at the door. She sat in complete and utter silence as she tried to tune into the conversation - the one currently taking place between Casey and their parents - that was seeping through the thin walls that separated her room from Casey's.

It was difficult, though. Despite how thin the walls were, they still managed to muffle most of the conversation, and Marti couldn't help but feel as though it was like she was eavesdropping from under water… or something similar to that nature.

She sighed and glanced at her clock before falling back against her headboard.

Her dad and Nora had been in Casey's room for what seemed like eternity. Time was a valuable asset to the plan and if she was going to execute said plan _successfully_… they needed to hurry up and get out as soon as possible.

Then, as if her prayers had been answered, she heard Casey's door open, followed by Nora saying something along the lines of, "Just think about it, okay?"

Marti sat up straight and waited for their footsteps to disappear down the hall before she jumped out of bed and ran over to her dresser, where she yanked open the first drawer and pulled out the walkie-talkie that Edwin had given her right after supper.

"Agent E, this is Baby Bear. Papa Bear and Mama Bear have just left the room. Is the coast clear? Over." She announced.

There was a brief pause, followed by some static, and then finally she heard Edwin's voice.

"Roger that, Baby Bear. The coast is all clear." He said. "Are you all set to initiate phase one of the plan?"

"Roger that." Marti answered, opening her bedroom door and tiptoeing out.

"Great. Agent L is ready to go when you are."

Marti didn't reply immediately. She was too busy creeping down the hallway towards Casey's room, but when she finally reached her older step-sister's door, she spoke once more.

"Alright, Agent E. I'm ready. Baby Bear, out."

With that, she turned off the walkie-talkie and slipped it into her pocket before taking a deep breath to calm herself. Then, she knocked.

X

_**"Alright, Agent E. I'm ready. Baby Bear, out."**_

From their position at the bottom of the staircase leading to Edwin's attic bedroom, Agent E and Agent L - also known as Edwin and Lizzie - glanced at one another upon hearing Marti's voice.

Edwin swallowed nervously.

"You ready?" He asked.

Lizzie smirked at him.

"I was born ready." She assured him.

Edwin returned the smirk, but it quickly fell and he looked at her worriedly.

"Are you sure you want to do this? You don't have to. It's a dangerous mission, Liz." He said. "I can do it for you, you know. I've dealt with this sort of thing before. I -"

Lizzie shook her head.

"No, Edwin. _I_ have to do this." She told him. "It's a job only I can do."

With that, she stood up from her kneeling position at the foot of the stairs, hid her walkie-talkie in her sweater and breathed deeply. Then, just as she was about to venture over to Derek's room, Edwin caught her by the wrist, halting her movement. She whipped back around to face him, brows knitted together in confusion.

"Edwin, what are you -" She started, but her step-brother held up his hand to silence her.

She shut up instantly, and let him speak.

"In case you don't make it…" He started, his entire persona serious as he reached into his pocket and pulled something out. "I want you to have this. For luck." He took her hand and placed something cold in it.

Lizzie looked down. Her eyes widened and she glanced back up at him.

"Your whistle? But -"

"That's not all." Edwin said. "I also… I just wanted to let you know that I… that I…" He trailed off, tearing his gaze away from her wide, curious eyes to stare at the hardwood floor beneath them. "… I care about you. A lot."

He gathered the courage to look at her again, and was surprised to find her smiling at him.

"Oh, Edwin!" She cried, both breathlessly and dramatically as she threw her arms around his neck. "I care about you too!"

"Y-you do?"

Lizzie pulled away, still grinning from ear-to-ear.

"Of course I do." She replied. "And I promise I'll make it. For you, at least."

With that, she leaned forward and kissed the corner of his mouth before shimmying out of his hold and making her way down the hall, leaving a stunned Edwin behind.

X

**Well, that was dramatic.**

**For the record, that last scene with Edwin and Lizzie? I totally intended for it to be really cheesy. It was supposed to be humorous. I wanted to make it reminiscent of all of those corny 'goodbye' scenes in old movies. You know which movies I'm talking about.**

**And for the record? I had the **_**Mission Impossible**_** theme stuck in my head the entire time I wrote the scene with Marti. Weird, isn't it? **

**Anyways, my apologies for taking so damn long to update… I'm going to try to finish up this fic by the end of August. September at the latest.**

_**-Lady Azura-**_


	6. Nothing to Lose

Disclaimer: I don't own _Life With Derek_. Or _Mouse Trap_. 'Nuff said.

Author's Note: Wow. That's a lot of reviews… I'm glad you guys are still keeping up with this!

X

**Marti the Matchmaker****  
**_**Nothing to Lose**_

X

_Knock… knock… knock…_

Marti waited for about a minute, but when she received no immediate answer, she tried knocking again - this time a little louder. It seemed to do the trick, because not long after her second set of incessant knocking, she heard a loud _thud_, followed closely by an equally loud _crash_ and finally, a string of profanities that Marti never thought she'd ever hear uttered from _Casey's_ lips of all people.

However, before she could dwell on the matter any longer, Casey's bedroom door was yanked open and the young Venturi suddenly found herself staring up into the angry, tear-stained face of her eldest step-sister, whose expression softened instantly upon seeing Marti.

"Oh." She croaked, before clearing her throat and continuing. "It's you. What do you want, Marti?"

Marti furrowed her brow.

"Are you crying?" She asked.

As soon as the words left her lips, Casey's hands flew to her face and she hurriedly wiped away her tears with her fingers.

"No." She lied. "It's just… allergies. That's all."

"Uh… huh." Marti eyed her skeptically, but didn't push the subject and instead, moved on. "Umm… can I come in? I need to talk to you about something. It's really important."

"Can't it wait till tomorrow?"

"Nope."

Casey sighed.

"Fine, then." She said, reluctantly stepping aside to allow the younger girl in before shutting the door behind her with a soft _click_.

When she turned around, Marti was already seated comfortably on _her_ bed, but Casey wasn't in the mood to reprimand her or tell her to move, so she just sat down in her computer chair and rolled it across the floor and over to the foot of her bed.

"So," she said. "What do you want to talk about?"

X

Unlike Marti, Lizzie didn't bother to knock before entering Derek's room. It wasn't that she was impolite or anything; it was just that she'd known Derek long enough to know that knocking would be completely and utterly pointless - _especially_ when he was in one of his 'moods'. Besides, it wasn't as if he'd take the time to get off his lazy butt to actually _answer_ the door to begin with, so really… she was only being sensible.

Needless to say, she wasn't at all surprised to find Derek sitting at his computer with his headphones on, his eyes glued to the screen as he proceeded to bob his head to music _so_ loud that Lizzie could hear the lyrics perfectly from where she was standing. It truly was a miracle that he hadn't gone deaf yet, she couldn't help but muse as she stared at him intently, waiting for him to notice her. She didn't try to get his attention, because like knocking, that attempt would also be in vain. Besides, she knew he would notice her standing there eventually. It was only a matter of time.

Fortunately for her, and the sake of the mission, 'eventually' turned out to come a lot sooner than expected.

As Derek went to lean back in his chair and stretch, he caught sight of her standing in the middle of his room and promptly rolled his eyes before pulling down his headphones.

"Can I help you?" He drawled.

"Uh… yeah." Lizzie replied slowly - nervously - as her eyes darted around his messy room. "Do you have a minute? I need to ask you something."

Derek sighed loudly in exasperation - a clear indication that he was annoyed - and while _normal_ people would've backed off and let him alone, Lizzie held her ground. She wasn't about to budge - not until she finished what she was there to do. When Derek realized that she wasn't going to take a hike like he'd hoped, he sighed again - this time, in defeat.

"Fine…" He said, quickly x-ing out of all of the music and porn sites he was previously surfing before pushing back from his desk. "What do you want, Liz?"

The tween took a deep breath, tucking her hair behind her ears before beginning.

"I'm just going to cut to the chase," she said. "It's about Casey."

Derek's face immediately lit up with interest, but he glanced away before Lizzie could notice.

"Really." He answered casually, trying to act like he didn't really care. "What about Casey?"

Lizzie narrowed her eyes dangerously.

"Don't play stupid with me, Derek." She grit out. "I know that you have feelings for my sister, and I know that you've had these feelings for a while, now - possibly since the day you guys met." She paused briefly to watch as Derek opened his mouth to deny her accusations, but before he could even get a word out, she cut him off. "Don't you dare try to deny it, either, because I've known you long enough to know _exactly_ when you're lying and you know it."

Derek scowled.

"Okay, I won't deny it." He said. "I _do_ have feelings for Casey. So what? It's not like they're reciprocated or anything."

Lizzie's eyes widened. She didn't know what to be more shocked about - the fact that Marti had been telling the truth, or the fact that Derek's vocabulary seemed to be improving exponentially. Both left her momentarily speechless, but she was quick to regain her composure and continue.

"How do you know?" She asked. "Have you asked her?"

"No." Derek replied. "But I think it's pretty obvious, don't you? _Especially_ after today's… incident. I doubt she'll ever speak to me again."

"Then why'd you do it?" Lizzie asked. "If you love her so much, then why did you pull that mean prank on her? And why are you always making fun of her and treating her like dirt?"

"The same reason I told Marti." Derek answered simply. "It's the only way I can get her attention. If I didn't do those things, she wouldn't give me the time of day because I'm not the type of guy who fits into her perfect, cookie-cutter world. We're complete opposites. That, and the fact that I'm her step-brother immediately gives me the disadvantage, so in order to get your sister to notice me… I prank her. And poke fun at her. And pretty much make her life miserable. It's what I do."

"And you honestly think that's going to make her like you?" Lizzie deadpanned. "As opposed to wanting to be as far away from you as humanly possible?"

Derek shrugged.

"It worked in kindergarten."

Lizzie frowned.

"Well, I'm sorry to burst your bubble, Derek, but you're not in kindergarten anymore!" She snapped. "So if you want to win Casey over, you need a new strategy and fast, or it'll be too late!"

Derek raised a questioning eyebrow at her.

"Too late?" He repeated. "Too late for _what_?"

Lizzie rolled her eyes.

"_Obviously_, you didn't get the memo." She muttered. "A few days ago, we -- Edwin, Marti and myself, that is -- overheard mom and George talking about how they were tired of you guys always fighting. They were trying to figure out what to do about it, and George suggested that they send Casey to boarding school - 'cause, you know, she's always wanted to go to one and all. But anyways… before your prank, she at least had things holding her back. At first, it was the money issue… then it was friends and extra curricular activities and all that stuff, despite the fact that _you_ were a constant thorn in her side." She sighed. "Still. I think this latest prank of yours was enough to finally drive her over the edge, and there's _nothing_ that neither myself, Edwin, Marti, her guidance councilor or any of her friends can do to stop her from taking up our parents' boarding school offer." She paused briefly to look at his face. "Except maybe you, Derek."

"_Me_?" Derek cried out disbelievingly. "Why me?"

"Because _you_ started this!" Lizzie snarled. "And _you_ are going to fix this whether you want to or not, or so help me God, I will bury you alive!"

Derek just stared incredulously at her, and Lizzie couldn't help but smirk.

"So?" She said, once she'd calmed down. "Are you in?"

Derek furrowed his brow.

"Do I have a choice?" He asked.

"No. Not really."

Derek sighed.

"Then… I guess I'm in." He said. "But what exactly do you want me to do?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

Derek stared blankly at the tween.

"Isn't… _what_ obvious?"

Lizzie narrowed her eyes, wondering how someone who prided himself on being such a notorious 'Ladies Man', could be so completely oblivious and thick.

But, against her better judgment, she answered anyways.

"Tell Casey how you feel." She said.

"_WHAT_?" Derek exclaimed. "I can't do that! I already told you she doesn't feel the same way! So how is me confessing my undying love for her going to make her want to stay?"

"No." Lizzie shook her head. "You said so yourself that you haven't actually _told_ her. You're only assuming she doesn't feel the same way because you're a prick to her 99.9 per cent of the time. Who knows? Maybe she does feel the same." Lizzie sighed loudly. "Though, honestly, I don't see _why_… but that's not the point! The point _is_… you've gotta tell her. You may be our only hope of having her stay."

"But -"

"_Derek_, please." Lizzie begged, clasping her hands together. "What've you got to lose, anyways?"

"Uh, my dignity for one." When Lizzie glared at him, Derek quickly tried to make amends. "I mean… nothing."

Lizzie's hardened expression softened some.

"Good." She said, before moving forward. "So, here's what I was thinking…"

X

"And now Daphne won't talk to me!" Marti finished with sigh before glancing up at her elder step-sister hopefully. "What should I do, Casey?"

Un… be… lievable.

For the first time in her short sixteen years of life, Casey found herself utterly speechless as she gaped at the young Venturi in front of her, a perplexed expression etched across her face as she tried desperately to make sense of the complete _nonsense_ that'd been spewing from Marti's mouth for the better part of twenty minutes.

What was she _supposed_ to say? Neither herself nor Lizzie had ever had an imaginary friend growing up, so _how_, exactly, was she supposed to mend Marti's friendship with Daphne without having had any personal experience? And why had Marti come to _her_? She was almost positive that the imaginary friend issues fell under Derek's field of expertise… not hers.

Casey sighed.

The day just kept getting worse and worse, it seemed…

"I… don't know what to tell you, Marti." She admitted. "Maybe you should just… I don't know… _apologize_ to Daphne?"

Marti tilted her head to the side as if to consider the option.

"I _suppose_ I could do that…" She said, allowing her gaze to drift over to Casey's alarm clock.

She bit her lip.

It was almost time.

She looked back at Casey.

"Alright, I'll do it… _if_ you play a game with me first."

Casey furrowed her brow.

"Umm… okay…" she said slowly. "What do you want to play?"

"_Mouse Trap_." Marti answered.

"Alright, then go get it." Casey told her, but Marti shook her head frantically in response.

"Can't."

"Why not?"

"'Cause it's on the top shelf. I can't reach it." Marti said. "_You'll_ have to get it. I'll wait right here." She paused briefly to smile innocently at Casey. "I promise."

Casey raised an eyebrow suspiciously, but didn't say anything else as she stood up and made her way out of her room and down the hall towards the Games Closet.

Once she was out of earshot, Marti took out her walkie-talkie and turned it on in order to inform Edwin.

"Agent E, this is Baby Bear. The Swan is heading your way. I repeat: the Swan is heading _your_ way. Over."

X

Edwin glanced up at Derek and Lizzie once he'd received Marti's message. He smirked before answering.

"Copy that, Baby Bear." He said. "Agent E… out."

He quickly turned off his walkie-talkie before motioning for Derek to get in his position in the Games Closet. Once his brother was hidden, he grabbed Lizzie's hand and the two hid behind the bathroom door just as Casey was turning the corner and making her way down the hallway. Once she was close enough to the closet, they pounced.

Before Casey could even register what was going on, she found herself being shoved into the Games Closet, darkness engulfing her as the door was slammed shut behind her and locked. Once she regained her composure, however, she whipped around and began pounding on the door in a feeble attempt at breaking it down.

No such luck.

"Edwin! Lizzie!" She yelled. "What's the meaning of this? Let me out!"

_"No!"_ Came Edwin's muffled reply.

_"Not until you and Derek talk!"_ Lizzie added.

Casey's arms dropped to her sides, her brows knitting together in confusion.

"Me and _Derek_?" She repeated.

Then, she heard a _flick_, and the small closet was suddenly lit up.

She whirled around, only to find herself staring up into the smirking face of none other than Derek Venturi.

"Surprise." Was all he said.

X

**Ugh. That was horrible.**

**-Shoots herself-**

**One more chapter to go…**

_**-Lady Azura-**_


	7. Now or Never

Disclaimer: I don't own _Life With Derek_. 'Nuff said.

Author's Note: Whoa. Look at all dem reviews… in less than 24 hours, too! Awesome.

Now, I bring you… the final chapter.

X

**Marti the Matchmaker****  
**_**Now or Never**_

X

A sudden and unexpected wave of emotion washed over Casey upon seeing the bane of her very existence standing there, wearing a smirk that made her want to do one of two things. A) Claw his eyes out and dump his body in a river, and B) Jump his bones. Unfortunately, the former probably wouldn't end too well on her part. She imagined it wouldn't look good on her resume. After all, what idiot would hire a girl who brutally murdered her step-brother, even if he was being an asshole? No one in their right mind - that's who.

As for the latter… after all the crap he'd put her through during the past few years of living under the same roof, and after the _stunt_ he'd pulled earlier that day, she didn't care _how_ hot he was or _how_ good he looked without a shirt on - she wouldn't jump him if her life depended on it!

So, seeing as she was unable to settle on either option, she just stood there and glared up at him, waiting for him - _daring_ him - to say something, because _she_ certainly wasn't going to.

Alas, Derek didn't look like he was going to say anything either, and it wasn't long before the tense silence that'd dawned on the two teenagers became too much to bear. Eventually, Casey just couldn't take it anymore, and blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"_Well_?" She snapped impatiently. "What do you want?"

"To apologize." Derek answered simply, the smirk finally dropping from his face - only to be replaced with a more serious look that Casey wasn't at all familiar with. "What I did to you today was… mean. Even for me, and I just wanted to let you know that I'm sorry."

Casey gaped at him, unable to believe what she was hearing. Was he actually serious? Was he _actually_ trying to make amends for the cruel prank he'd pulled on her earlier that day? Was someone as selfish and immature as Derek even _capable_ of doing such a thing? A part of Casey honestly wanted to believe it, but an even bigger part of her - the one who knew better than to believe _any_ of the crap that spewed from Derek's lips on a daily basis - prevented her from doing so, and reminded her of all of the things he put her through _every single_ waking moment of her life.

She scowled, clenching her fists tightly.

"What are you trying to pull?" She spat bitterly. "You must think I'm an idiot if you thought I'd actually believe a word you said."

Derek sighed.

"I knew you wouldn't." He said. "But it was worth a try."

Casey rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest.

"So… tell me," she said. "Do _you_ know why Edwin and Lizzie locked us in here?"

"Yeah." Derek replied, leaning against the shelf behind him.

His step-sister arched a questioning eyebrow at him.

"Well?" She said. "Aren't you going to tell me?"

"I'd rather not."

Casey narrowed her eyes.

"You'd better." She growled.

Derek's smirk returned in an instant.

"Or else what?" He challenged.

Casey opened her mouth to retort, but when no logical threats came to mind, she just threw her hands up in frustration.

"Does. It. _Matter_?" She cried. "Just tell me, already! The sooner I find out, the sooner I can get out of here, and the sooner I can get away from _you_ when I accept my mom and George's proposal to send me to boarding school, where I'll be as far away from you as humanly possible."

Derek froze.

_'So… Lizzie _wasn't _lying.'_ He thought. _'They really_ are _sending her away!'_

"You can't!" He blurted out without thinking.

Casey furrowed her brow.

"Can't _what_?" She asked.

_'Ah, shit.'_ Derek mentally cursed, before sighing loudly in defeat. _'Well, it's now or never…'_

"Leave." He said. "You can't leave."

"Oh really?" Casey deadpanned. "And why not?"

"_Because_…" Derek started, tearing his gaze away from her to stare at the floor. "I…" He trailed off, unable to say the one thing he wanted nothing more than for her to know. "I…"

"You _what_, Derek?" Casey asked, growing more and more impatient with each passing second.

"I think…" Derek tried again, squeezing his eyes shut and clenching his fists tightly. "No… I _know_ that…" Gathering all of the courage he could muster, he lifted his head and looked her straight in the eyes. "I'm in love with you, Casey McDonald."

X

"They're not talking anymore." Marti whispered, lifting her ear away from the door to glance over at Edwin and Lizzie. "Do you think they're kissing or something?"

Lizzie shook her head.

"No." She said. "It's too early for that. They've only been in there for fifteen minutes."

Edwin nodded in agreement, and Marti shrugged before going back to eavesdropping on the two teenagers sequestered inside the closet.

Growing rather curious himself, Edwin made a move to crawl over to the door and listen as well, but was stopped when Lizzie grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. He looked at her curiously and she smiled shyly at him, causing his stomach to do cartwheels. After sparing a brief glance at Marti, who was so consumed with trying to hear Derek and Casey that she didn't even _notice_ them, he laced his and Lizzie's fingers together before jerking his head in the direction of Derek's room.

Lizzie grinned and nodded, and together, the two stood up and slowly crept down the hall and towards her room, shutting the door behind them with a soft _click_ so as to not alert Marti or their parents.

"How long do you think it'll be before she notices we're gone?" She wondered out loud, sitting down on the edge of her elder step-brother's bed and smiling as Edwin sat down beside her, never once releasing her hand.

He smirked.

"Who cares?" He asked, before leaning forward and pressing his lips to hers.

X

Back in the Games Closet, time seemed to have literally stopped as the two teenagers inside stood there, staring at one another in shock. Derek for being surprised that he'd actually admitted his feelings for her in the first place, and Casey for being at the receiving end of his confession. All that could be heard was the sound of their breathing, as neither one of them could muster up the courage (or the brainpower, for that matter) to speak.

You could probably hear a pin drop, but Casey was far too stunned to think of something as _ridiculous_ as that. She was far too busy trying to process Derek's words, which had been echoing over and over again in her mind for what seemed like eternity. In actuality, it had only been five minutes.

Then, suddenly, Derek broke the silence by clearing his throat.

"Yes, well… that's all I wanted to let you know before you leave." He said, shuffling passed Casey and reaching into his pocket for the key to get out of the closet.

Before he could retrieve it, however, Casey's voice stopped him.

"Derek, wait."

Derek sighed and reluctantly turned around to face her.

"What?"

Casey bit her lip.

"Did you mean what you just said?" She asked. "Are you _really_ in love with me? Or is this just another one of your jokes?"

Derek smiled weakly.

"I don't joke about things like this." He said.

Casey eyed him suspiciously.

"But how do I know you're telling the truth?" She asked. "You've never done anything to indicate that you have feelings for me… all you ever do is make fun of me and treat me like dirt… how do I know you're not lying? How do I know you're not videotaping this as we speak and are planning to broadcast it on national television? How do I know that -"

"_Casey_." Derek cut her off. "Shut up."

Casey frowned and opened her mouth to voice her outrage, but before she could get the words out, Derek swooped forward and captured her lips with his.

Her eyes widened as soon as contact was made, and out of sheer instinct, she started to flail around and try to push him away, but Derek wouldn't let her. His arms enveloped her, pulling her closer so that their chests were touching, and he held onto her tightly and kissed her as though his very life depended it, pouring all of his feelings and emotions into it and trying to make her see that he wasn't lying to her - that he really _did_ feel something for her. Something that he'd never felt for any other girl before.

Eventually, though against her better judgment, Casey gave into the kiss, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around his neck. She could feel Derek smirk against her lips, but couldn't bring herself to care. It felt too good, and she wanted to savor the moment - store it in the back of her mind and remember it forever.

Then, it was over.

Derek pulled away, slowly releasing her and taking a step back in order to let her breathe, all the while admiring her flushed face and swollen lips.

"So," he said. "How's that for proof?"

Casey laughed breathlessly and shook her head in disbelief. 

"I have to say, Derek…" She began. "You really know how to turn a girl's opinion around."

Derek couldn't help but smirk at that.

"Don't I know it…"

Casey sighed and fell back against the wall behind her, her lips curled into a lazy smile as she stared at the shaggy-haired boy in front of her through lidded eyes.

"Unfortunately, you're gonna have to do _a lot_ more to prove that you meant what you said."

Derek nodded.

"Yeah." He said. "I know. Now that I know you feel the same thing, I'll start treating you like the princess you are - starting tomorrow. I promise. I'll use my power and influence to make sure no one at school ever mentions today's prank ever again; I'll stop barging into your room without knocking; I'll… I'll do _anything_, Casey. Under one condition."

Casey raised an eyebrow.

"And what would that be?" She asked.

"Stay here. With your family. With your friends. With…" He bit his lip. "… With me."

Casey considered both options for a minute, weighing the pros and cons of each, and secretly taking pleasure in the worried look etched across her step-brother's face as he waited for her answer. Then, after what seemed like hours, she gave him her final verdict.

"Okay. I'll stay."

X

"So… what exactly are we going to tell everyone?" Casey asked, as she and Derek exited the Games Closet and made their way towards the latter's room.

Derek shrugged.

"I dunno." He said. "But I'm sure we'll figure out something when the time comes. Or at least you will."

Casey rolled her eyes and proceeded to swat him upside the head. He chuckled and stuck his tongue out at her in a playful manner, to which she just scoffed at before opening the door to Derek's room.

Only to stop dead in her tracks at the scene she was met with.

There, sitting on the edge of Derek's bed, were Edwin and Lizzie… locked at the lips, and completely oblivious to everything around them. Until they heard Derek's laugh.

"Wow. We certainly know how to keep it in the family!"

The tweens immediately sprung apart, flushed with embarrassment as they tried to come up with explanations, but Derek just held up his hand to silence them… and then told them to get lost, which they were all too pleased to oblige. As soon as they were out of his room, though, he turned to Casey and smirked.

"So… do I get a goodnight kiss?"

Casey returned the smirk.

"Of course." She answered, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down into a kiss.

X

Marti couldn't help but grin as she watched Edwin and Lizzie race out of Derek's room and into their own, before sparing a glance at her eldest siblings, who were too busy making out to notice her standing a foot away from his doorway. She quickly stifled a giggle before turning on her heel and making her way towards her own room for bed, knowing full well that things were going to be _a lot_ more different in their household from that point on.

And she couldn't wait.

X

FIN

X

**Alright, so the ending sucked. I know. Don't tell me what I already know. **

**Hopefully you enjoyed, though.**

**Thanks for reading!**

_**-Lady Azura-**_


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